diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index a7882d6c0..19e405186 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ js:
 	cd cmd/droned/assets && find js -name "*.js" ! -name '.*' ! -name "main.js" -exec cat {} \; > js/main.js
 
 build:
-	cd cmd/drone  && go build -o ../../bin/drone
+	cd cmd/drone  && go build -ldflags "-X main.version $(SHA)" -o ../../bin/drone
 	cd cmd/droned && go build -ldflags "-X main.version $(SHA)" -o ../../bin/droned
 
 test: $(PKGS)
diff --git a/cmd/drone/drone.go b/cmd/drone/drone.go
index ea5d98652..0e7429ce8 100644
--- a/cmd/drone/drone.go
+++ b/cmd/drone/drone.go
@@ -39,6 +39,10 @@ var (
 
 	// displays the help / usage if True
 	help = flag.Bool("h", false, "")
+
+	// version number, currently deterined by the
+	// git revision number (sha)
+	version string
 )
 
 func init() {
@@ -103,6 +107,10 @@ func main() {
 		path = filepath.Join(path, ".drone.yml")
 		vet(path)
 
+	// print the version / revision number
+	case args[0] == "version" && len(args) == 1:
+		println(version)
+
 	// print the help message
 	case args[0] == "help" && len(args) == 1:
 		flag.Usage()